Chimes telethon begins Monday

Posted: Thursday, December 2, 2010 9:20 pm
By: Chris Menees, Staff Reporter

By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Chimes for Charity will take center stage next week.
Chimes’ annual telethon — a major fundraiser for the organization which helps those in need around Obion County at Christmas — will begin Monday night.
The telethon’s four-night run is scheduled for Monday through Dec. 9 from 6-7:30 nightly at Second Baptist Church, which is located at 831 Everett Blvd. in Union City. This year’s goal is $50,000.
Chimes for Charity — sponsored by the Union City Jaycees and J’Cettes and supported by contributions from individuals, businesses, churches and organizations in the community — is in its 76th year of providing food, clothing and toys to less fortunate families at Christmas.
During the telethon, guests may enjoy the entertainment live each evening as audience members at the church or they may choose to enjoy broadcasts to air on AM radio station WENK-1240 and local television station WOBT. Local school, preschool and church groups will provide entertainment, with listeners and viewers asked to phone in pledges as they enjoy the family entertainment.
Monetary donations may be mailed to Chimes for Charity, P.O. Box 661, Union City, TN 38281.
The line-up
All four nights of this year’s telethon will be emceed by local radio personality Jim Adcock, who served as 1977 Jaycees president, according to a schedule released this week by Chimes.
 Monday’s opening night will feature Pleasant Valley Preschool from 6-6:30, followed by the Obion County Children’s Chorus from 6:30-7 and Exchange Street Church of Christ from 7-7:30. Guests will include Union City Director of Schools Gary Houston, Union City Elementary School principal Michael Paul Miller and 2010 J’Cettes president Nell Garrigan. The program will be opened in prayer by the Rev. Jerry Leggett, associate pastor of Second Baptist Church.
Tuesday night, entertainment will be provided by First Friends from 6-6:30, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church from 6:30-7 and Tater Tots and Small Fries Day Care from 7-7:30. Adcock’s guests will be Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Tennessee chief professional officer Ron Green, past Jaycee and past Chimes chairman Robert Wood and past Jaycees members Robin Wood and Steve Goodrich. Micah Harbison, Second Baptist’s youth minister, will open the program with prayer.
The entertainment Wednesday night will be provided by Second Baptist Church’s preschool choir from 6-6:30 and the host church’s K-5 choir from 6:30-7, followed by Troy First Baptist Church’s children’s choir from 7-7:30. Second Baptist Church pastor Rev. Eddie Mallonee will lead in prayer to open the program and Adcock’s guests for the evening will include Chimes co-chairmen Arisa Moses and Dwight Thomason and 1982 Jaycees president Larry Storie.
The final night’s program next Thursday will feature entertainment by Kare Bear Preschool from 6-6:30, Union City Elementary School’s Chorus Kids from 6:30-7 and the school’s Voices of UCES from 7-7:30. Adcock will be joined on the final night by Obion County Director of Schools David Huss, 1971 Jaycees president Johnny Bruff and Bob Hunt. The program will be opened in prayer by the Rev. Stan Waldon, pastor of Union City First United Methodist Church.
Other ways to help
In addition to the telethon, Chimes will benefit next week from the annual Santa’s Village at the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Ag Pavilion. Chimes’ designated night will be Dec. 10 from 6-9 p.m., during which time volunteers may work on behalf of the Union City Jaycees and J’Cettes. The more workers present, the more Chimes will benefit from the receipt of non-perishable goods collected as admission from those attending.
Several businesses in Union City and one in Troy are serving as drop-off locations for toys and non-perishable food items for the 2010 Chimes for Charity campaign.
The Union City drop-off locations include Van Heusen at VF Outlet, 601 Sherwood Drive; Cash Express at 1313 West Reelfoot Ave., Suite D; First State Bank at 100 East Reelfoot Ave.; Golden Living Center at 1105 South Sunswept Drive; Miller Family Dental Care at 1209 Russell St.; Walmart Supercenter at 1601 West Reelfoot Ave.; State Farm Insurance at 800 East Reelfoot Ave., Suite 101; Union City Housing Authority at 1409 East Main St.; Danny Larcom Heating & Air at 1600 West Main St.; Ben 2 the Beach Tanning at 1700 West Reelfoot Ave., No. 142; and Sports Base & Susie’s Nurses Uniforms at 214 South First St. The Troy drop-off location is Briar Patch Flowers & Gifts at 108 South College St.
Local residents are asked to donate items by Dec. 14.
For more information, call the Chimes office at 885-2098.
Staff Reporter Chris Menees may be contacted by e-mail at cmenees@ucmessenger.com.
Published in The Messenger 12.2.10